Give 67 minutes to SHAWCO this Mandela Day

Building on the success of their 2013 Mandela Day community outreach, SHAWCO will be running rotations of buses between UCT and four SHAWCO centres, so that UCT students and staff can give 67 minutes of their time to help local communities.

Last year a total of 542 UCT students assisted community groups in three areas '“ Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Nyanga. This year residents of Kensington will also benefit from the initiative. The activities will vary from community to community and will include:

• Small maintenance jobs like painting and building fences;
• Planting trees or vegetable gardens and picking up litter;
• Child-focused activities such a crafts and sports; and
• Taking SHAWCO kids to senior homes to read and sing to the elderly.

"We would like to emphasise that although student-led, this event is not restricted to students only. It's open to all members of the UCT community. Any staff that would like to honour the memory of Nelson Mandela with us is most welcome to join in," said SHAWCO Education President Julia Norrish.

This year's Mandela Day celebration is the first following former president Nelson Mandela's death last year at the age of 95. People all over the world are encouraged to give 67 minutes '“ corresponding to Mandela's 67 years of service '“ of their time to a good cause.

Buses to the SHAWCO centres will depart from the Sandown Stop at upper campus between 10h00 to 17h00, and shifts will be approximately two hours (including travelling time). For departure times, click here.

For more information, contact Julia Norrish at 074 464 5588 or president.edu@shawco.org.